Chicitaea Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer, 2024

Ptach-Styn, Lucja, Guzow-Krzeminska, Beata, Lendemer, James C., Tonsberg, Tor & Kukwa, Martin, 2024, Phylogeny of the genus Loxospora s. l. (Sarrameanales, Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota), with Chicitaea gen. nov. and five new combinations in Chicitaea and Loxospora, MycoKeys 102, pp. 155-181 : 155

Chicitaea Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer gen. nov.

Diagnosis.

Differs from Loxospora s.str. in the presence of 2'- O -methylperlatolic acid (vs. thamnolic acid), asci without an amyloid apical dome (vs. asci with a uniformly amyloid apical dome) and simple, broadly ellipsoid, straight or slightly bent ascospores (known only in the type species; vs. transversely septate ascospores).

Generic type.

Chicitaea lecanoriformis (Lumbsch, A.W. Archer & Elix) Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer.

Etymology.

The generic epithet honours Chicita F. Culberson (1931-2023), Senior Research Scientist at Duke University, U.S.A., for her foundational, pioneering and lifelong contributions to the fields of lichen chemistry and lichen taxonomy. In addition to establishing standardised protocols to study lichen secondary chemistry that have been routinely used by workers worldwide for more than half a century, she was an influence for generations of lichenologists with whom she generously shared her knowledge and experience.

Description.

Thallus corticolous, pale grey-green to olive-grey, thin or thick, surface smooth to verrucose, sorediate, isidate or without vegetative propagules. Apothecia known in one species, lecanorine, up to 1.5 mm diam., sessile, concave. Thalline margin present, scabrid when young, later entire, dentate, persistent, often flexuose. Disc dark reddish-brown to black, epruinose. Hymenium colourless, inspersed with infrequent oil droplets. Paraphyses simple, unbranched. Hypothecium colourless or pale yellow-brown. Asci claviform to obovate, I-, KI+ slightly blue-green, damaged asci amyloid. Ascospores 6-8 per ascus, broadly ellipsoid, straight or slightly bent, with a single thin wall. Pycnidia found in one species, immersed, visible as minute black dots. Conidia bacilliform.

Chemistry.

2'- O -methylperlatolic acid (major) and perlatolic acid (minor or trace; reported only from Chicitaea lecanoriformis ). Spot tests: cortex K-, C-, KC-, P-, UV-; medulla and soralia K-, C-, KC-, P-, UV+ white.

For morphology of Chicitaea species, see Lumbsch et al. (2007), Papong et al. (2009), Lendemer (2013), Guzow-Krzemińska et al. (2018) and Fig. 6 .

Figures

Figure 6. Morphology of two species of Chicitaea A Thallus of Ch. confusa on tree trunk (taken by J. Hollinger in the field) B thallus of Ch. cristinae on tree trunk (taken by D. Kubiak in the field) C, D Thalli of Ch. cristinae showing soralia (paratypes of L. cristinae C UGDA L- 22396 D UGDA L- 20385). Scale bars: 1 mm (C, D).